The Princess and the Dragon
by Blue Dragon of Rivendell
Summary: Roseanna is delighted to be marrying the man of her dreams, Seth. But one day she discovers a sly plan hatched by her stepmother and Seth. She then uncovers a startling truth. Roseanna must reveal their treachery and find what her heart believes in.


Once upon a time, in medieval England, there lived the happy, royal family. The King loved his wife so much, that he failed to see the growing poverty, outside his grand castle. "He may be joyful within his castle, but we grow poorer each day," the peasants said. "And he does not raise a hand to help us!" They only whispered within their drafty homes, because if any of the king's subjects heard them, they would be executed.

Now, the princess was called Roseanna, for she was as beautiful as a rose, with long earthy brown curls and pieces of sky for eyes. She had an even temperament and would think things over before she did them. Roseanna was intelligent and resourceful but a little too outspoken.

But she changed when a tragic event occurred when she was eleven. Her mother; Queen Anna died of an unknown disease. No doctors in the land could cure her, and the King threw them in prison. The King, overwhelmed with grief and anger, withdrew himself from the outside world. He dismissed messages from his barons, about what little crop the peasants produced and an even more serious matter；Wales was preparing war.

Roseanna no longer spoke her mind and grew quiet and reserved. Being a girl, therefore not the heir to the throne, her father ignored her. She would have to marry a man, then he would be king.

Five years later, King George remarried the queen of Wales, as part of the peace treaty. Gossip said that the king loved his late wife more than his first. Little did he know, beneath her honey-sweet words that her heart was cold and black. She was startlingly beautiful with her porcelain white skin and coal black eyes. Queen Lilith had a son, Seth from her previous marriage. Seth's heart was as selfish, greedy and jealous as his mother's.

"Win that brat's heart," Queen Lilith murmured to Seth, after the wedding. "You will be king."

When, Rosanna turned eighteen (beautiful as ever) the king chose many suitors for his daughter. She rejected them all.

"Father, I wish to marry Seth," she announced.

"Seth?" the King enquired, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, Seth."

Lilith and Seth had a smug expression on their faces.

The king cleared his throat several times.

"Well, to prove that Seth is courageous, he must slay that golden dragon, in the forest."

Queen Lilith's face grew even whiter and Seth was shocked.

"And bring the skull for proof."

Rosanna approved the plan. She heard Seth had battled with many fearsome creatures, but she would like to see proof for herself.

When the Queen and Seth were alone, in their room, she muttered to herself, "We are going to find way; I don't want you to be gulped by the treacherous dragon." She paused for breath. "I guess this is easier than the love potion I slipped the foolish king. And finally can I begin _my_ plans for England."

Seth was happy to let his mother do the thinking. As long as he wears the crown, he would be content, even if the silly princess did fall ill like her mother.

That night, the Queen asked the head cook to give her the skull of a cow, two long bones and a bag of blood. In the castle garden, under the full moon, she chanted a bone-chilling spell. After a black mist had disappeared, the two bones linked to form into horns. Queen Lilith spoke to Seth, "Tomorrow dress yourself like a knight and walk through the forest. Splatter blood on yourself and wait. I shall teleport this…skull and bring it back to the castle."

That's what he did the next day. When he marched into the forest, he followed his mother's instructions. What he didn't know was that Roseanna followed Seth's tracks. She was charmed by his words and good looks but her instinct told her something was not quite right. When she noticed Seth's tracks were heading back home, she stopped. There was no sign of struggle. There were drops of blood on the dirt but no headless dragon. Something clicked in her brain. "Seth is pretending to have killed the beast, so he could have me and the country and sit in luxury when he is king, she thought. "How am I going to stop this treachery?" she shouted at the trees.

_Pardon?_

Roseanna turned around and almost got a heart attack. A gigantic dragon with deep blue eyes was staring at her intently. Its wings were neatly folded and specs of gold reflected of its scales. Roseanna wetted her lips and stuttered, "How can you speak within my mind?"

_I cannot say what I once was, nor can I say who enchanted me._

Rosanna sighed.

Despite its size, the dragon had a young man's voice. _My lady, what are you trying to stop?_

"How do _you_ know who I am? I am not even dressed properly."

_Who doesn't know the prettiest, most intelligent princess?_

She fell silent. "Thank you, but, my stepbrother is trying to trick the king into believing he slayed the dra…you, so he becomes my husband and then becoming the king," answering his previous question in a rush.

The dragon nodded. _Treachery indeed... I may be able to help you._

"How?"

_There is a potion called the Water of Truth. It forces anyone to speak the truth if asked. And another property is…_He fell silent.

_The ingredients are:_

_In a phial of purest water_

_An essence of yourself,_

_Heated by dragon's fire. _

_I have the base of the potion, which I hidden…right here! But promise me one thing; you will have to give the other half of the potion to me._

"I promise, but why?"

He ignored her and began to dig a patch of earth. Its sharp white talons held up two phials of water. Rosanna took out her pocketknife and calmly slit her forefinger. The dragon appeared to be quite surprised. She took the stopper of and let the blood plop into the water. It unexpectedly started fizz. "Breathe onto it, for the sake of the kingdom," Rosanna said.

The phials of water floated in midair while, the dragon took a deep breath and a tongue of golden flame licked the phials. The liquid changed from pink to green and finally turned clear.

_Dragon fire has magical properties. _

The air smelt like someone had cooked a delicious banquet.

_The Water of Truth will taste like water. But beware; witches can sense the potion. Use it wisely._

"I do not know how to thank you. I'm not sure if I have the ability to reveal my stepmother…"

_Self doubt is a plague. Do not let it overtake you. You _will _find a way."_

Rosanna nodded and slowly walked back to the Castle.

_Wait the potion…_

She did not hear his voice, as she was preoccupied on how to slip the potion to her stepmother and Seth. "No, my stepmother only. Because she must be the one who gave Seth the ideas. She might try to get rid of me one day", Roseanna thought. Roseanna sighed. No doubt, tomorrow, at the wedding.

The very next day at the castle grounds, Roseanna was very nervous. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

"What is it my love?" asked Seth, with fake consideration.

"I'm worried that…I don't look good," she answered.

"Nonsense, you look beautiful."

Seth kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked to his mother. Roseanna was not worried about that. She looked radiant in her uncomfortable white gown. She was worried about her plan.

_Self doubt is a plague…_

The dragon was right. She had to be confident in herself. Her plan was simple; slip the potion into the stepmother's wine, when she was distracted. Rosanna took out one of the phials, stepped on the hem of her dress and tripped. The phial flew out of her hands and smashed on the marble floor. Roseanna despaired.

"O, great dragon what am I going to do?" she whispered to herself. A servant helped her to get up. The wedding guests started to mutter.

"I just tripped, the hem was too long," she said through her plastic smile.

The whole castle courtyard returned to their activities. Seth, the king and queen stared at her, as if she had committed a crime. Roseanna never felt so alone.

She heard loud wing beats.

_Am I not here?_

The great dragon landed in the courtyard. Everyone was shocked. They all thought Seth had beheaded the beast. They saw the skull.

Without a word, Roseanna took the second phial from her pocket and handed it to the dragon. He drank the potion in one gulp and he started to shrink. His scales turned to blond hair and claws into nails. A man wearing a simple shirt and trousers appeared.

"You vile little worm!" screeched the Queen. "How dare you ruin my plans?"

_Self doubt is a plague…_

"Father, is this not treachery? The queen must be a witch to create a new skull, so you would believe that slayed the dragon. As you saw before, the ex-dragon is alive. That proves Seth is dishonest and not fit to be king."

"Well said Rosanna. Your majesty, my name is Frederick. The Queen is my stepmother and enchanted me so Seth could be King. Only a potion could turn me onto human again, but I could not tell anyone. Your daughter had asked about the potion to reveal lies _not _someone's true self. I must thank her.," the ex-dragon said.

The crowd whispered amongst themselves.

"Very well, Lilith and Seth's punishment is to be thrown in prison," announced the king.

Two servants dragged Seth and the former Queen to the dungeons.

"I did not realise how blind I was. I cannot see treachery in the castle let alone the kingdom. Frederick I believe you deserve a reward. Name it."

"Your majesty, you are too kind. But I will like you daughter's hand in marriage."

"That is if she accepts," Roseanna said.

The crowd held their breath, even the birds were silent.

Roseanna stared into his blue eyes. He has a good personality and he is a handsome fellow, she thought. But…

"No."

The crowd groaned.

The king looked at his daughter with new eyes.

"I wish to know you better, Prince Frederick. You will stay in the castle. I have learnt a valuable lesson. Never judge a man by how he looks," she explained.

So Prince Frederick stayed with Roseanna and they more or less lived happily ever after.

The End.


End file.
